They are right in the middle of the action, are often criticized, but are still an indispensable factor in the game. In the June issue of DEB-Podcast “Coach the Coach”, host Karl Schwarzenbrunner talks to referees André Schrader and Achim Moosberger about the job of a referee and the often difficult on-ice decisions that go with it.
André Schrader took the step of becoming a referee at the age of 16. It wasn't quite planned that he would stick with it and later be on the ice as a referee at various World Championships and Olympic Games. André actually wanted to quit after two years when it came to making the decision to continue acting as a player or as a referee on the ice. After careful consideration with the thought in his head that he would probably not make the jump to the DEL, he dared to make the jump to the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund at the age of 18 and started small here as a line referee. Since the 2016/17 season, Schrader has been working as the main referee in the PENNY DEL, where he finally succeeded Lars Brüggemann as professional referee in 2017.
Referee after a professional career - is that possible? Achim Moosberger can answer this question with a clear "yes". From the Jungadler Mannheim, via Heilbronn and Bietigheim to Selb, the now 31-year-old went through several stations as an ice hockey professional in Germany. Until 2019, he was still chasing points for his teams. He knew early on that life after sport would continue to hold challenges for him. At a prospect camp in Nuremberg, he got to see the perspective of a referee for the first time. At the time, he was still completely overwhelmed by the enormous input of the course, but he quickly developed a passion for the new job close to ice hockey. Achim has also been on the ice as a head referee for a year now.
Unlike players, there are no training games for referees to try out and learn in stages. This makes it all the more important to always be there on point.
In an exchange with Karl, they both talk about the trainee programs that have been developed, which are intended to help newcomers. In addition to coaching the talent, this also involves new input and the right game management. Even if the duties of the linesman and the main referee differ, all parties must always perform in every league. The job entails both a high level of responsibility and pressure, especially in game-deciding situations. André openly admits that there have been many sleepless nights over the course of his career due to bad decisions. But mental freshness is an important factor in the game and even such unpleasant situations have to be dealt with so that you can learn from them.
Another focus of the conversation is the question of the extent to which the two see themselves as referees in the role of police officers on ice and what assessment André and Achim give with regard to new technologies in ice hockey. Can they continue to provide support to the referees or can they even be seen as a replacement for the human component in the future? So it's definitely worth listening to. The new episode is now available online at: https://podcastfe117a.podigee.io/